editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Harvest Public Media's reporter at NET News, where he started as Morning Edition host in 2008. He joined Harvest Public Media in July 2012. Grant has visited coal plants, dairy farms, horse tracks and hospitals to cover a variety of stories. Before going to Nebraska, Grant studied mass communication as a grad student at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and completed his undergrad at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. He grew up on a farm in southwestern Iowa where he listened to public radio in the tractor, but has taken up city life in Lincoln, Neb.NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Grant GerlockFri, 16 Feb 2018 10:33:51 +0000Grant Gerlockhttp://kbia.org
Grant GerlockIn places where the unemployment rate is well below the national average — states like Nebraska, Colorado and Iowa — one would think it’d be easier for communities to recruit new residents to fill open jobs. But the housing market works against rural towns and cities where jobs often stay open because there are too few affordable homes and apartments to buy or rent, or the ones that are affordable need lots of TLC. It’s a situation that threatens to turn low unemployment from an advantage into a liability.Help Wanted Signs Dot Rural Areas. The Catch? Housing Is Hard To Come Byhttp://kbia.org/post/help-wanted-signs-dot-rural-areas-catch-housing-hard-come
119044 as http://kbia.orgTue, 16 Jan 2018 23:31:26 +0000Help Wanted Signs Dot Rural Areas. The Catch? Housing Is Hard To Come ByGrant GerlockShoring up rural America’s economy must start with broadband access and technology, a federal task force says in a report released Monday. The group, chaired by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and made up of other Cabinet members, says doing so will bring rural areas increased health care access, better job training, smart electrical grids and more precision farming technology. Little of that can be accomplished, the report says, without closing the broadband gap between urban and rural residents.Federal Task Force Makes Broadband A Priority In Helping Rural Economic Revivalhttp://kbia.org/post/federal-task-force-makes-broadband-priority-helping-rural-economic-revival
118702 as http://kbia.orgTue, 09 Jan 2018 20:26:50 +0000Federal Task Force Makes Broadband A Priority In Helping Rural Economic RevivalGrant GerlockMany rural businesses and farms will benefit from the tax overhaul passed Wednesday by Congress. But there’s a catch: If the changes fail to spur economic growth as intended, programs that rural areas rely on could be on the chopping block. One provision in the massive bill, which President Trump has yet to sign into law, allows small business owners to deduct 20 percent of their business income. It also expands the deduction for small business investment — a popular provision among farmers, who can write off the cost of things like a new tractor.Sweeping Changes To U.S. Tax Code A Mixed Bag For Farmers, Rural Hospitalshttp://kbia.org/post/sweeping-changes-us-tax-code-mixed-bag-farmers-rural-hospitals
118024 as http://kbia.orgThu, 21 Dec 2017 21:20:52 +0000Sweeping Changes To U.S. Tax Code A Mixed Bag For Farmers, Rural HospitalsGrant GerlockDanetteRay is standing inside a re-created train depot, wearing cowboy boots, leather chaps and two six-shooters in holsters at her waist. Before she draws her pistols to fire at a row of targets, Ray calls out: “You get back inside, I’ll cover for ya!” — a line spoken by Jimmy Stewart in the 1957 western Night Passage. Ray, who goes by the nickname MarieLaveau, competes in cowboy action shooting, a brand of target shooting with historically accurate guns and costumes. There’s yet another dose of theater: In each round, the shooters play out a movie scene.The Good, The Bad And The Costumed: Western Movie Buffs Find Fellowship At Shooting Competitionshttp://kbia.org/post/good-bad-and-costumed-western-movie-buffs-find-fellowship-shooting-competitions
117990 as http://kbia.orgWed, 20 Dec 2017 22:52:39 +0000The Good, The Bad And The Costumed: Western Movie Buffs Find Fellowship At Shooting CompetitionsGrant GerlockThe U.S. Department of Agriculture faces a lawsuit that argues the federal agency must bring back a proposed rule that defined abusive practices by meatpacking companies. Farmers from Alabama and Nebraska and the Organization for Competitive Markets, a nonprofit that works on competition issues in agriculture, filed the suit Thursday in the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.Lawsuit Attempts To Force USDA To Reinstate Livestock Fairness Rulehttp://kbia.org/post/lawsuit-attempts-force-usda-reinstate-livestock-fairness-rule
117952 as http://kbia.orgWed, 20 Dec 2017 14:29:39 +0000Lawsuit Attempts To Force USDA To Reinstate Livestock Fairness RuleGrant GerlockThe delivery of federal food benefits for millions of low-income people is likely to change after the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday it’ll allow states more flexibility in how they dole out the money. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in a news release that his agency wants states to try out programs that don’t increase the cost of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) but instead promote job training and reduce waste and fraud. The news release said specifics will be provided in “the coming weeks.”USDA Eyeing Changes To Federal Food Benefit Program That Would Give States More Controlhttp://kbia.org/post/usda-eyeing-changes-federal-food-benefit-program-would-give-states-more-control
117370 as http://kbia.orgThu, 07 Dec 2017 22:33:20 +0000USDA Eyeing Changes To Federal Food Benefit Program That Would Give States More ControlGrant GerlockThe farm economy is showing some stability, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says, but the upswing doesn’t extend to all agricultural sectors. Over the last three years, farm earnings have plummeted , eliciting concerns that the farm economy could tumble toward another farm crisis like the 1980s . For 2017, the USDA expects net farm income to rebound by a modest 3 percent nationwide, to $63 billion.USDA: Farm Economy On The Upswing, But Not For Everyonehttp://kbia.org/post/usda-farm-economy-upswing-not-everyone
116983 as http://kbia.orgThu, 30 Nov 2017 20:42:07 +0000USDA: Farm Economy On The Upswing, But Not For EveryoneGrant GerlockThe World Health Organization released recommendations this week to curb the use of antibiotics in livestock, saying it could help reduce the risk of drug-resistant infections in humans. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture says some of the guidelines from the United Nations’ public health agency would place “unnecessary and unrealistic constraints” on farmers and veterinarians. It's a disagreement that could have an impact on farm exports.WHO Suggestion To Limit Antibiotics For Livestock Criticized By US Regulatorshttp://kbia.org/post/who-suggestion-limit-antibiotics-livestock-criticized-us-regulators
116209 as http://kbia.orgMon, 13 Nov 2017 23:25:36 +0000WHO Suggestion To Limit Antibiotics For Livestock Criticized By US RegulatorsGrant GerlockBurkey Farms in southeast Nebraska looked into the future a couple of years ago and didn’t like what it saw — a continuation of depressed prices for conventional corn and soybeans. So, the families who run the farm together started discussing how the operation would make money if they couldn’t earn more from their crops. Their conversation took a turn toward organics, a $40 billion industry and growing, especially in Iowa and Colorado.Organic Acreage On The Rise As Conventional Crop Prices Founderhttp://kbia.org/post/organic-acreage-rise-conventional-crop-prices-founder
115647 as http://kbia.orgWed, 01 Nov 2017 14:26:09 +0000Organic Acreage On The Rise As Conventional Crop Prices FounderGrant GerlockAn event Monday planned to mark two Midwestern political appointees joining the U.S. Department of Agriculture was partly spoiled by a political dispute over biofuels. USDA Secretary Perdue Frustrated By Stalled Appointmentshttp://kbia.org/post/usda-secretary-perdue-frustrated-stalled-appointments
115564 as http://kbia.orgMon, 30 Oct 2017 22:59:04 +0000USDA Secretary Perdue Frustrated By Stalled AppointmentsGrant GerlockEvery year on the farm has its challenges. There are weeds, insects and random hailstorms. Unpredictable global markets can make or break a profitable crop. Recent years, though, have been especially troubling for the Hammond farm in York County in eastern Nebraska.The 'Ghost Geography' Of Midwest Farmland And A Year In The Life Of A Modern American Family Farmhttp://kbia.org/post/ghost-geography-midwest-farmland-and-year-life-modern-american-family-farm
113597 as http://kbia.orgMon, 18 Sep 2017 16:42:52 +0000The 'Ghost Geography' Of Midwest Farmland And A Year In The Life Of A Modern American Family FarmGrant GerlockSidney, Nebraska, has prospered while many rural cities have struggled. For decades, the city has been home to Cabela’s, a major outdoor retail chain. As Cabela’s completes a deal in which it will be bought by a rival , however, the future of Sidney’s economic engine is in doubt. As in other rural cities that have faced the loss or closure of major industry, the question is how the community will move on and grow in the 21st Century.What A Rural Nebraska City Can Teach Us About The 21st Century Economyhttp://kbia.org/post/what-rural-nebraska-city-can-teach-us-about-21st-century-economy
113079 as http://kbia.orgWed, 06 Sep 2017 21:38:51 +0000What A Rural Nebraska City Can Teach Us About The 21st Century EconomyGrant GerlockOn a sweltering summer morning, Rob Mitchell surveys a plot of switchgrass at a research field near Lincoln, Nebraska. The grass is lush, green and nearly six feet tall. “And it will get a couple feet taller than this,” says Mitchell, an agronomist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “So we’re putting on a lot of biomass right now.” The grass growing in the research plot is Liberty Switchgrass, a perennial variety bred to grow quickly and produce more plant material, or biomass, than other switchgrass. The cellulose fiber in the biomass can be broken down to make what is called cellulosic ethanol, fuel that when blended with petroleum can run our cars. Listen to this story Currently, nearly all of the ethanol burned in cars in the U.S. is made from corn. Energy crops like switchgrass are thought of as the second generation of biofuel, new technology with a smaller carbon footprint. The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced a plan to reduce the amount of cellulosicLow-Carbon Fuels Could Lose Emphasis From Trump EPAhttp://kbia.org/post/low-carbon-fuels-could-lose-emphasis-trump-epa
111779 as http://kbia.orgWed, 09 Aug 2017 15:24:28 +0000Low-Carbon Fuels Could Lose Emphasis From Trump EPAGrant GerlockPresident Donald Trump spent the campaign pledging to revive rural communities, where many voters have felt ignored by previous administrations. But after announcing staffing changes and budget plans that would make cuts to programs aimed at rural areas, critics are questioning whether the White House remains committed to that goal. The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers billions of dollars’ worth of programs to support farmers and ranchers, but it also works on growing the broader rural economy through its Office of Rural Development. As part of an agency-wide reorganization, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says he plans to eliminate the USDA’s undersecretary for rural development. Instead, an assistant that reports to him would run rural development efforts. Just a few weeks into his tenure, the plan amounts to a significant shakeup in USDA’s rural development mission area. Perdue, however, told the House Agriculture Committee he considers it a promotion. “That person isUSDA Reorganization Shakes Confidence In Trump's Rural Agendahttp://kbia.org/post/usda-reorganization-shakes-confidence-trumps-rural-agenda
108677 as http://kbia.orgWed, 31 May 2017 18:04:21 +0000USDA Reorganization Shakes Confidence In Trump's Rural AgendaGrant GerlockGenetically engineered crops are nothing new. But new technology that allows scientists to alter plants more precisely and more cheaply is taking genetically engineered plants from the field to the kitchen. The first version of the Arctic Apple, a genetically modified Golden Delicious, is headed for test markets in the Midwest in February, according to the company that produced it. It is the first genetically engineered apple, altered so that when it is cut, it doesn’t turn brown from oxidation.With Arctic Apple, GMOs Are Headed To Your Kitchenhttp://kbia.org/post/arctic-apple-gmos-are-headed-your-kitchen
103288 as http://kbia.orgWed, 08 Feb 2017 18:00:00 +0000With Arctic Apple, GMOs Are Headed To Your KitchenGrant GerlockFarmers across the Midwest are trying to figure out how to get by at a time when expected prices for commodities from corn, to wheat, to cattle, to hogs mean they’ll be struggling just to break even. “Prices are low, bins are full, and the dollar is strengthening as we speak and that’s just making the export thing a little more challenging,” says Paul Burgener of Platte Valley Bank in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.Farm Economy Braces For Another Year In The Redhttp://kbia.org/post/farm-economy-braces-another-year-red
102425 as http://kbia.orgThu, 19 Jan 2017 21:38:21 +0000Farm Economy Braces For Another Year In The RedGrant GerlockA proposal that would jumpstart the chicken business in Nebraska has some residents concerned about the potential impact on the environment and are trying to block or delay its construction. Costco, the warehouse retailer and grocery chain, plans to build a giant $300 million chicken slaughterhouse on the south side of the town of Fremont in eastern Nebraska.Growing Poultry Industry Spurs Environmental Concernshttp://kbia.org/post/growing-poultry-industry-spurs-environmental-concerns
101853 as http://kbia.orgThu, 05 Jan 2017 20:06:35 +0000Growing Poultry Industry Spurs Environmental ConcernsGrant GerlockIn this series, Harvest Public Media reporters attempt answer your questions about the 2016 presidential election. Rick Leidig of Kansas City, Missouri asks: "An essential element of agriculture on any level is a sustainable supply of water. What policies would you propose to protect declining resources like the Ogallala Aquifer? It's huge, there's been little public discussion and it's not going away." Rick is right that portions of the Ogallala have seen persistent depletion from farm irrigation , particularly in parts of western Kansas.How Would Clinton, Trump Protect the Ogallala Aquifer?http://kbia.org/post/how-would-clinton-trump-protect-ogallala-aquifer
99143 as http://kbia.orgWed, 02 Nov 2016 19:51:08 +0000How Would Clinton, Trump Protect the Ogallala Aquifer?Grant GerlockLiving in the Platte River Valley in central Nebraska means understanding that the water in your well may contain high levels of nitrates and may not be safe to drink. “When our first son was born in 1980, we actually put a distiller in for our drinking water here in the house,” says Ken Seim, who lives in the Platte Valley near the town of Chapman, Nebraska. “And at that time our water level was a 12 parts per million.” Nitrates are formed when nitrogen, from the air or fertilizer, is converted by bacteria in the soil to a form that is more plant-friendly. Nitrates help plants grow, but can be dangerous in large amounts. The legal limit in public water systems is 10ppm. Some nearby wells, Seim says, contain nitrates at dangerous levels, two or three times the legal threshold.Farmers Feel the Pressure to Fight Agricultural Water Pollutionhttp://kbia.org/post/farmers-feel-pressure-fight-agricultural-water-pollution
96983 as http://kbia.orgTue, 20 Sep 2016 17:12:29 +0000Farmers Feel the Pressure to Fight Agricultural Water PollutionWhen shoppers browse meat at the grocery store they are confronted with all kinds of brands and labels, making it hard to tell whether the meat they buy comes from animals that were raised humanely. Organic producers want to answer that question more clearly, but conventional farmers are charging that proposed changes to organic standards would amount to unfair government backing of the organic industry. At the grocery store, interpreting how livestock are raised is a complicated task. Product labels are crowded with claims: free range, no antibiotics, cage free, veggie fed, pasture raised, natural, and even farm fresh. Not only can it be confusing, it can also be misleading. Many of the claims made on product labels have no strict definition or oversight. “We survey consumers on a regular and ongoing basis and many times find they are buying something based on an inaccurate understanding of what it is,” says Kevin Seibert, CEO of Tecumseh Poultry which produces organic and non-organicTalking Politics – The organic industry wants to define humanely raised meat for consumershttp://kbia.org/post/talking-politics-organic-industry-wants-define-humanely-raised-meat-consumers
96615 as http://kbia.orgTue, 13 Sep 2016 21:44:00 +0000Talking Politics – The organic industry wants to define humanely raised meat for consumers